Automobile signal switch



y 1930- R. o. RUBLE 1,760,212

AUTOMOBILE SIGNAL SWITCH Filed July 11, 1927 A I Q I Inwmor 12. OJZUZYM,

Patented May 27, 1930 PATENT OFFICE ROLAND O. BUBLE, OI KANSAS AUTOMOBILE SIGNAL SWITCH Application filed July 11,1927. Serial No. 204,829.

vention consists in the im rovement as hereinafter described and de tely claimed.

10 In the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification Figure 1 is a view part1 in section, and partly in elevation illustrating the preferred embodiment of my invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same.

Figure 3 is a view diagrammatic in character and illustrating by way of example a signal circuit that may be employed.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the views of the drawing.

I show in Figures 1 and 2 a portion of the floor board 1 of an automobile, the said board being apertured at 2 for the passage and play of an accelerator pedal, designated by 3.

The accelerator pedal shown is of lever type, but I would have it understood that within the purview of my invention the accelerator pedal may be of any other type com patible with the purpose of my invention.

In furtherance of my invention a base plate .4 is fixed on the floor board 1, and fixed with respect to the plate 4; and preferably insulated therefrom is a conductive standard 5 having at its upper end a terminal 6.

The plate 4 is also'equipped with a standard 7 and pivotally connected at 8 to the standard 7 is a lever 9 subject to the action of a spring 10 and provided at 11 with a terminal opposed to the before mentioned terminal 6. The spring 10 is relatively arranged as illustrated and therefore its tendency is to press the terminal 11 against and hold said terminal 11 in contact with the terminal 6 so as to cause to glow the filament in an incandescent electric lamp 12, designed to be carried at the rear of an automobile.

Within the purview of my invention any desired circuit may be employed including the terminals 6 and 11, the lamp 12 and a source of electric energy, designated by 13, and I also prefer that the said circuit include a hand switch as designated by 14 in Figure 3 so that the circuit may be interrupted independently of my improvement when the automobile is not in use.

The free portion of the lever 9 and what may be properly designated the pedal portion thereof is arranged alongside of and closely adjacent to the accelerator pedal 3 as desig- 6o nated by 15 in Figures 1 and 2, andconsequently it will be understood that when the driver of the automobile depresses the accelerator pedal 3 with his foot, he will also depress the free portion of the lever 9 and in that way move the terminal 11 away from the terminal 6. When however, the accelerator pedal 3 is relieved of pressure, the lever 9 will likewise be relieved of pressure and in consequence the spring 10 will promptly swing the lever 9 upwardly and move the terminal 11 into contact with the terminal 6 and cause the filament in the lamp 12 to glow, with the result that a warning will be flashed to the driver behind very much more quickly 7 than is the case when the tail light or tail signal is o erated from the brake lever of, the automo ile.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that so long as the accelerator pedal is subjected to downward pressure, the lamp 12 will be idle, but just as soon as the pedal lever or pedal 3 is relieved of pressure precedent to diminishing the speed of an automobile, the circuit indicated will be closed by the contact of the 5 terminal 11 with the terminal 6 and the fila ment in the lamp 12 will be caused to glow."

It will also be apparent that my improvement is simple and inexpensive in construction, and is susceptible of being easily and economically installed in a conventional automobile, or any other automobile having an accelerator pedal.

I have entered into a detailed description of the construction and relative arrangement of parts embraced in the present and preferred embodiment of my invention in order to impart a full, clear, and exact understanding of the embodiment. I do not desire, however, to be understood as limiting myself to the construction and arrangement disclosed, my invention bein defined by my appended claim within t e scope of which modifications may be made without departure from m invention.

' aving thus described the invention, what I claim 1s In automobile signal means, and in combination, terminals, one of which is movable below and toward and from the other, an

automobile accelerator pedal in rear of said terminals, a standard carrying the terminal opposed to the movable terminal, a lever carrying said movable terminal and fulcrumed in front of the terminals and having a rear portion arranged alongside of and in close proximity to the accelerator pedal and adapted to be depressed when the accelerator pedal is depressed, and yielding means below and exerting upward pressure against the lever forward of the terminals for moving said lever and putting the movable terminal in contact with the other terminal when the accelerator pedal is relieved of pressure.

In testimony whereof I aflix my si ature.

- j "ROLAND O.R LE. 

